Ghiz faced a difficult controversy during the lead-up to the 2007 provincial
election when he personally intervened in the nominating
procedure in a rural electoral district northeast of Charlottetown.
Ghiz refused to sign his party's nominating papers for the winning
candidate who had made a controversial speech endorsing patronage.[4]

Ghiz led his party to power in the general election held on May
28, 2007, easily defeating Pat Binns after 11 years of Progressive
Conservative government. Ghiz won 23 of the 27 seats, reversing the
standings in the legislature at the time of dissolution. Ghiz and
his 11-member cabinet were sworn in on June 12, 2007. A 24th member
was elected in October in a by-election held after the resignation
of Pat Binns.[1]

Ghiz's election resulted in the second time in the history of
Prince Edward Island that a father-son team both became premier;
the other pair (also Liberal) being Thane Campbell (1936-1943) and his son
Alexander B.
Campbell (1966-1978).[5]